# How do I boil eggs that are easy to peel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482 "2005-12-01T00:33:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![eyoung123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@eyoung123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eyoung123)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/21 "2005-12-01T16:12:24Z")
> [@Kitchen Wench](#): > > So what is it that makes the outside of the yolk turn green? This has always been a mystery to me. Sometimes they turn out green, sometimes not. I always use the same method. I’m going to try the steaming method. > > Oh- I like the center of the yolk slightly wet. How many minutes should I cut off for this to happen? I was under the impression the green was from the cooling method… if they cool slowly they get the ring. 8 or 9 minutes should leaves the yolks slighly underdone ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/22 "2005-12-01T16:19:39Z")
> [@Kitchen Wench](#): > > So what is it that makes the outside of the yolk turn green? This has always been a mystery to me. Sometimes they turn out green, sometimes not. I always use the same method. I’m going to try the steaming method. > > Oh- I like the center of the yolk slightly wet. How many minutes should I cut off for this to happen? Well I found an answer to your question - and apparently mine too - [here](http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/eggs/explore-text.html) > [@](#): > > Why does the yolk turn green? The green-gray color (and the whiff of sulfur smell that often accompanies it) comes from the reaction of iron in the egg yolk and sulfur in the egg white. When heated, the two can combine to make green-gray ferrous sulfide and hydrogen sulfide gas. To avoid getting a green yolk, cook your eggs just long enough to reach the desired doneness—no more. And quickly plunge the cooked eggs into cold water to stop the cooking process and minimize the iron-sulfur reaction. > > Some people also say that the cold-water plunge makes eggs easier to peel. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/23 "2005-12-01T16:30:33Z")
Frankly, I was pretty amazed when reading that folks on the Dope (in this thread and others) have had problems peeling boiled eggs. I’ve never had this problem. I do it the way me mum taught me - peel 'em under running water. No problems at all. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/24 "2005-12-01T16:41:14Z")
I don’t hard boil my eggs like any of the above suggestions. I start them in a pot of cold water, bring them to a rolling boil, and then immediately remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for about 12 minutes, then I peel them under cold running water. I never have any problems with peeling them or getting a green yolk. And actually, it occurs to me that I learned that method here at the SD. Aha! [Indeed I did](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=299537). [Goodeggs.com](http://Goodeggs.com) suggests a similar method, but they don’t completely remove the pot from the heat, they just reduce the temperature to a lower medium. [http://www.goodegg.com/boiledegg.html](http://www.goodegg.com/boiledegg.html) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/25 "2005-12-01T16:41:19Z")
I’m used to the green ring, and kind of like it :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![the\_brave\_navel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@the\_brave\_navel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_brave_navel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/26 "2005-12-01T18:36:48Z")
Run a pan of cool tap water, add eggs (straight from refrigerator), place on burner, bring to boil and let 'em go for about 10 minutes. Pour off the boiling water into the sink and gently bang the eggs around in the empty pan to crack the shells. Then run your cold tap FULL FORCE over the eggs. The cold water rushing through the cracks in the shells loosen the shells for easy peeling. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/27 "2005-12-01T20:28:19Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I don’t hard boil my eggs like any of the above suggestions. I start them in a pot of cold water, bring them to a rolling boil, and then immediately remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for about 12 minutes, then I peel them under cold running water. I never have any problems with peeling them or getting a green yolk. This is exactly how I do them, except for the peeeling part. For that, I let them cool in cold water and then roll them around on the counter to crack the shells. I have no idea where I learned that (it was definitely pre-SD) but I’ve always thought it was to keep the shells from cracking while the eggs cooked (they wouldn’t be tossed around by cooking in boiling water). Of course, the steam approach would stop that as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/28 "2005-12-01T21:40:40Z")
I can’t wait to try the steaming method! I need to watch Alton Brown more often. Psst. Ellen. Set the DVR ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/29 "2005-12-01T22:50:48Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I don’t hard boil my eggs like any of the above suggestions. I start them in a pot of cold water, bring them to a rolling boil, and then immediately remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for about 12 minutes, then I peel them under cold running water. I also do this, except for peeling under cold water. I just refrigerate the boiled eggs and peel them when I’m ready to make a sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/30 "2005-12-01T23:15:17Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Frankly, I was pretty amazed when reading that folks on the Dope (in this thread and others) have had problems peeling boiled eggs. I’ve never had this problem. I do it the way me mum taught me - peel 'em under running water. No problems at all. I totally agree with this. Peeling under running water always works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482/31 "2005-12-02T03:47:52Z")
One warning: do NOT set your eggs to boil, and then get on the computer and forget about them. Cleaning exploded eggs off the ceiling is not the bag o’ laughs you might think it would be. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-boil-eggs-that-are-easy-to-peel/333482.md?page=1)